In addition to being stochastically heated, nano-grains can be destroyed by energetic photons [1]}, [2]}. As a-C(:H) nano-grains are composed of a mix of different molecular domains, that is, aromatic domains connected by aliphatic (C-C) and olefinic (C=C) bridges, their photo-destruction is triggered by the photo-dissociation of aliphatic and olefinic bonds. From there, there are at least three processes that can lead to the photo-destruction of nano grains: direct dissociation, thermal (vibrational) dissociation, and Coulomb explosion [3]}.
